"Nico Robin!"
Storm suddenly turned his head to look at Robin.
"Do you believe in gods?"
"Reporting to the boss."
Robin, intimidated by the aura Storm was radiating at that moment, answered honestly.
"I don't believe in gods."
If "gods" truly existed in this world...
Then why didn't they appear when she was living under someone else's roof, enduring scorn and rejection?
Why didn't they appear when the Marines massacred Ohara and bombed the refugee ship?
Why didn't they appear when she wandered the West Blue, abandoned and betrayed by all kinds of people?
Nico Robin did not believe in gods!
"Good. Remember what you said today."
Storm nodded in satisfaction.
"There's already one super idiot among my subordinates who worships 'Nika.' Don't go learning from that fool."
"Boss, the 'fool' you're talking about..."
Robin cautiously asked, recalling the man she had just encountered—Edward Teach, who had mysteriously vanished.
"...Wouldn't happen to be Mr. Edward, would it?"
"Teach? No."
Storm shook his head and answered simply.
"It's the 'Tyrant.'"
Bartholomew Kuma?
Robin, who often read newspapers, immediately recalled the Tyrant's real name and general appearance.
That man with the adorable bear ears?
He was a follower and worshipper of that so-called "God Nika"?
It was hard to imagine a man with such a terrifying title being a believer in a god...
Thinking this, Robin couldn't help but ask another question.
"Boss, who is 'Nika'?"
"The Sun God who saves the suffering, the destined savior."
Storm "praised" in an extremely sarcastic tone.
"When he Awakens, the entire sea will call out his name—Nika!"
"Sounds..."
Robin carefully considered Storm's words before shaking her head and offering a sharp critique.
"...Kind of ridiculous."
"Excellent. You've perfectly captured the essence of the 'Sun God Nika.'"
Storm was so pleased with Robin's remark that he wanted to applaud—and in fact, he did just that.
"If someone fights their enemies while laughing maniacally over their friends' corpses, that's Nika!"
"That's a god?"
Robin couldn't help but rub her arms. Just imagining such a scene made her break out in goosebumps.
"That's a madman, isn't it?"
"Hahaha!"
Storm burst into laughter.
This was the first time Robin had ever seen this man laugh so heartily.
"Exactly. Nika is a madman."
Storm clapped enthusiastically again for Robin's remark.
"And anyone who worships Nika is a complete fool!"
Robin faintly felt that Storm's words were a bit excessive.
After all, he had just mentioned that the "Tyrant" was a believer of Nika...
Wait?
Hadn't Storm also just called the "Tyrant" a super idiot?
Never mind, then.
"Enough about that crazy god. Where was I?"
Storm waved his hand, skipping over the topic of the Sun God Nika.
"Ah, right—
"Originally, I wasn't planning to recruit you, Robin. But..."
A promise is a promise.
Storm recalled Robin's sharp critique of the Sun God Nika just moments ago. He swallowed those words and changed his tone instead.
"But, what's done is done."
The moment he said this,
Robin's face instantly darkened with exasperation.
Why did it sound like she was some unwanted charity case...
"Ahem, what I meant was..."
Storm pointed toward the Ancient Historical Text before them.
"Since this is a recruitment, there ought to be a proper 'welcome gift.'
"So, are you satisfied with this belated 'present'?"
"This... is a gift?"
Robin stared at Storm in surprise.
Seeing her astonished expression, Storm immediately realized something.
"You thought I brought you here to help decipher the inscriptions on this Ancient Historical Text?"
Though slightly embarrassed, Robin gave a small nod.
That had indeed been her assumption.
But now, it seemed Storm might possess even more ancient Knowledge than she did!
Under such circumstances, why would he need her to translate ancient script?
Storm rolled his eyes at Robin's nod.
"You didn't seriously think I was some unambitious hack like Crocodile, relying entirely on external help, did you?"
He couldn't help but retort.
Yet, in the very next second, his expression shifted.
"That's right! I am exactly that kind of person!"
With the [Devil Ring] in hand—
so many that they nearly filled his palm—
Storm couldn't possibly bring himself to say, "My strength comes solely from hard work."
Robin was speechless.
"Uh..."
"But, as I just mentioned,"
Storm gazed at the Ancient Historical Text before them.
"The inscriptions on this slab are my 'recruitment gift' to you.
"I learned what's recorded here even before you did."
Robin silently studied Storm.
If deciphering ancient script was truly this easy, then—
"What's recorded here is the location of the ancient weapon [Poseidon]. Well, that's not entirely accurate."
Storm murmured softly.
"More like its 'general location.' [Poseidon] is beneath the Red Line, on Fish-Man Island."
Yes! Exactly!
Robin froze, her eyes suddenly burning with fervor as she pressed urgently,
"Boss! You can read ancient script too?!"
Were there other archaeologists on the seas who knew ancient secrets?
She... wasn't alone?
"No, I can't read it."
Storm shook his head, shattering Robin's hope.
"But I do know quite a few secrets."
Before Robin could respond, Storm suddenly pointed to the lower portion of the Ancient Historical Text.
"For example, those lines there."
Robin followed his gesture.
There, on the golden surface beside the slab's base, were several lines of ancient script she had completely overlooked earlier!
She immediately began reading and translating the inscriptions.
At the same time, Storm recited aloud:
"I have come here."
"I take this text to the world's end."
"Pirate Gol D. Roger."
Word for word!
Robin stared at Storm in exhilaration.
"Boss! And you claim you can't read ancient script!"
"I genuinely can't decipher these ancient writings."
Storm sighed in resignation.
"I just happened to know what they mean."
After explaining, Storm turned to Robin and could clearly read the following words on the archaeologist's face—
"Mhm, go on, I'm listening."
Robin looked like a stern judge who was earnestly hearing a defendant's testimony before decisively sentencing them to execution.
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"Could you at least pretend to take my words seriously?"
"I am listening, I really am."
"You... never mind."
Storm had no intention of wasting his breath arguing.
"Anyway, the only reason I brought you here is that I thought this piece of Ancient Historical Text might suit your tastes.
"By the standards of a 'gift,' its quality and significance should be more than sufficient.
"So, Nico Robin, do you like this 'present'?"
"Boss, I like it very much."
"And what should you call me now?"
"Boss? Or... Captain?"
"I do love talking to smart people!"
Storm clapped his hands and laughed.
"Miss Pirate, let's go enjoy the banquet on Sky Island!"
Before the Blue-Eyed White Dragon appeared,
Robin spoke at an incredibly fast pace.
"Captain, are you really sure you don't need me to translate the message on this Ancient Historical Text?"
"Translate what? Let me translate it for you."
With a casual wave of his hand, Storm sent the Blue-Eyed White Dragon soaring into the sky.
"The so-called Ancient Weapon is [Poseidon], the mermaid princess born once every few centuries on Fish-Man Island.
"This generation's Poseidon is named Shirahoshi, age 10, residing in the Hard-Shell Tower of the Ryugu Kingdom on Fish-Man Island, unmarried... uh."
Storm's revelation came to an abrupt halt.
Robin fell completely silent.
At this moment, she suddenly found herself somewhat believing Storm's claim that he couldn't read the ancient script.
Because the information he had just provided about [Poseidon] was so horrifyingly detailed!
Even the records on the Ancient Historical Text weren't as precise as what Storm had just revealed.
After an awkward silence,
Robin spoke in a slow, eerie tone.
"10 years old..."
"That's not what I meant."
"Unmarried..."
"My apologies, I spoke too carelessly."
"10 years old..."
"Tell me, what must I do to make you keep this a secret?"
"Make me a little cutie!"
"...Its name is Godzilla. Fine, from now on, it's called 'Little Cutie'!"
The Blue-Eyed White Dragon carried Storm and Robin to the vicinity of the former shrine ruins.
The Shandian warriors who had earlier returned to their village had now brought all their belongings to God's Island.
Some were building new homes;
Some were clearing the shrine ruins;
Some were preparing food for the feast.
Every Shandian was brimming with energy, working in high spirits.
"Are these the people of Sky Island?"
"They're the Shandians. If you want to know more, you can ask them directly."
Storm guided the Blue-Eyed White Dragon to land.
"The Shandians are now under my command—they won't refuse your questions."
"How did you manage that, Captain?"
"Simple. I killed the last god who ruled over Sky Island."
Storm's arrival was like a spark tossed into a boiling pot of oil.
The already lively atmosphere around the shrine erupted into a frenzy.
The Shandorans, whether warriors or civilians, all gazed at Storm with utmost reverence and admiration.
The preparations for the banquet accelerated even further.
At Storm's suggestion,
the venue for the feast was changed from the original shrine to the area near the Golden Bell in the ruins of Shandora.
This move by Storm undoubtedly further won the hearts of the Shandorans.
When Wyper, the descendant of the great warrior Calgara and the current leader of the Shandorans, led his people in ringing the Golden Bell,
the Sky Island banquet officially began.
Dong— Dong— Dong—
For the first time in a century, the chime of the Golden Bell resounded once more.
From the Sky Island ten thousand meters above to Jaya Island on the sea below, no one could miss the clear, melodious toll of the Golden Bell.
The Shandorans had returned to their homeland.
Storm and Robin joined in the lavish banquet of the Shandorans.
The lively atmosphere lasted well into the night.
The next morning,
while Storm was still resting on Sky Island,
the diligent News Coo delivered the latest issue of the World Economic Journal to every corner of the sea.
Today's newspaper contained several "big news" shocking enough to shake the world.
"The Super "Admiral"—White Dragon!"
"The New Royal Seven Warlords of the Sea! Coronation!"
"World Government Furious! Lizard King Defeated!"
"Who Will Be the Next "Victim"…?"
Following these sensational headlines, the World Economic Journal generously included two new bounty posters.
The first,
naturally, was the bounty of the newly appointed Royal Seven Warlord—[White Dragon]!
Receiving a bounty for the first time and immediately becoming one of the Royal Seven Warlords of the Sea—
White Dragon's legendary rise mirrored that of the Nine Snake Empress seven years ago.
Beside White Dragon's bounty poster, another new one was attached.
This was the bounty poster of the true "White Dragon"!
[Blue-Eyed White Dragon]
[Image.JPG]
[Bounty: 9,500 Belly]
[Status: ONLY ALIVE]
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